Companies around the world appear to be getting more involved in educational development initiatives, and consumers are taking notice. Companies support educational initiatives for a variety of reasons, such as altruism, talent pipeline development and brand reputation, all of which can make them more attractive to consumers, according to a recent Nielsen global survey. In fact, more than two-thirds (68%) of online respondents to the survey said they would be more likely to buy products from a company that supports education initiatives, with respondents in Latin America (85%) most eager, aligning with their strong sentiment around the importance of education.

Nearly three-quarters of respondents from Asia-Pacific (74%) and 64 percent of respondents from the Middle East/Africa region said they would make a purchase from a company that supported education initiatives. While North Americans (50%) and Europeans (56%) showed the most skepticism in their education-supported buying propensity, still half reported a willingness to do so.

“When companies share their resources, which go beyond monetary contributions, they have the power to help bring innovation to the classroom by helping young people gain access to the tools they need to realize their full potential,” said Susan Whiting, vice chair, Nielsen. “It’s a winning situation for both corporations and students. Corporations can bring employees together in a powerful way to share in this common purpose, and students reap the benefits of an enhanced learning experience.”

About the Nielsen Global Survey

The Nielsen Global Survey on Education Attainment was conducted between February 18 and March 8, 2013 and polled more than 29,000 online consumers in 58 countries throughout Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa and North America. The sample has quotas based on age and sex for each country based on their Internet users, and is weighted to be representative of Internet consumers and has a maximum margin of error of ±0.6%. This Nielsen survey is based on the behavior of respondents with online access only. Internet penetration rates vary by country. Nielsen uses a minimum reporting standard of 60 percent Internet penetration or 10 million online population for survey inclusion. The Nielsen Global Survey, which includes the Global Consumer Confidence Index, was established in 2005.